The Internet in the Bahamas is unreliable, expensive, slow,
intermittent, maddening and frustrating [i.e. it really sucks] – and that is in
Nassau, the capitol city. Here's
the stuff I have been trying to publish.
Don't worry if you don't get updates for a while.
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1/25 Saturday – moving and anchoring in the Berry Islands
Crossing – about 38 miles. From Great Harbour Cay Marina, around the top of Great
Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands, past two huge cruise ships, then anchored
inside White Cay – on the east side of the Berrys. Very tired.
Took about 10 tries to set our anchor – finally found a spot, but in 7
feet of water (half-tide). Set our
Rocna with 50 feet of chain and a 15 lb mushroom anchor as a kellet. Rough night – rolling all night. Very
little sleep. Anchored with 3
boats that were traveling with us from the last marina.
What a way to spend a birthday!
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1/26 Sunday – dinghying to the Blue Hole
Took a flotilla of dinghys to the famous Blue Hole – only a
mile or so by dinghy, then a ½ mile walk through the jungle. Beautiful spot. Everyone got to swim here. Pictures coming.
Sundowners on Oz, a large sailing catamaran. Joined by two couples sailing on a
large monohull. That made 12 of us
for drinks!
Another rough night in the anchorage – very windy. Again, only a few hours of sleep. This is an extremely beautiful place,
but really sucks as an anchorage.
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1/27 Monday – to Flo's Conch House
This time, we had 16 people, boat-pooling on 4 dinghys (4 people
each), for about 3 miles on the inside banks (really shallow!) to Flo's Conch
House near Little Harbor.
Pre-ordered dinners – lobster, conch, fish plus the usual coleslaw and
rice with beans. And lots of
beer. Very interesting place. We
were, of course, the only people there – except for Chester the cook and owner,
and his helper.
And yet another shitty night of rocking and rolling with
winds and tidal swells. No sleep
from about 2am until sunrise. We
really need to get some sleep!
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1/28 Tuesday – to Nassau
Left at sunrise, for a 40 miles crossing to Nassau.
Fortunately the weather prediction was right, for once – less than 1 foot seas,
little wind – motored all the way, with our autopilot doing all the
driving. Good thing, too, as we
were really tired.
Docked in Nassau Harbour Club Marina. Exciting time trying to find the
western entrance to Nassau Harbour – followed the waypoint at the entrance,
hoping to be able to find the buoys (some of which were there) in time. Worked out fine. Passed by 4 huge docked cruise ships
and under 2 70-foot bridges.
Marina has a swimming pool (!), a closed restaurant, and is
right across the street from a shopping center – with a Starbucks and a Fresh
Market (Florida-quality) with wonderful food – everything we could want, at
outrageous prices.
Dinner at the marina on our boat, with Eden and Chris – our
friends on the 24' Dana, sv-Rag Doll.
A wonderful nights sleep – about time we got to sleep all
night. We really like being tied
to a dock in calm weather instead of anchoring in lousy conditions.
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1/29 Wednesday – in Nassau
Shopped for a mushroom anchor to replace the one that I lost
in the White Cay anchorage – lost it while pulling the anchor just before
sunrise. Hey, I don't know what happened – I really needed to get some
sleep. Also got a small anchor for
the dinghy – in case we need to stop the dink on the banks if the motor quits
and we have a strong current (usually do).
Chris stayed and worked on his boat. Ilona, Eden & I walked
downtown. They split while I hit a
bank and replenished our cash supply.
The west end of town is by the cruise ships – more like Palm Beach or
Beverly Hills than the Bahamas, but definitely with Bahamian culture and
"architecture". Interesting.
Walked for 3 to 4 hours.
Dinner on sv-Rag Doll, this time Ilona didn't have to cook
and I didn't have to clean up.
They may have talked us into leaving Friday for the Exumas,
particularly if we get to go to a marina there. [Did I mention that I need to sleep?]
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